Mohammad Alaqraa: I’m the Best Fighter in the Middle East, and PFL MENA Is Going to Prove That

Mohammad
Alaqraa is determined to make himself a household name and next
Friday, he’ll have the platform of
Professional Fighters League and the opportunity to do so.

Training out of American Kickboxing Academy under the tutelage of
longtime AKA head coach Javier Mendez and former
Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champ Khabib
Nurmagomedov, Alaqraa carries a 5-0 record into his promotional
debut against Youcef
Ouabbas at PFL MENA next Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Alaqraa has some observers predicting him to be the next great AKA
fighter after Nurmagomedov and current UFC lightweight champion
Islam
Makhachev, comparisons he doesn’t take lightly.

“It’s a big honor to have those talks about me,” Alaqraa told
Sherdog.com. “It’s been a long road. I went to AKA in 2017 and when
I was 18 years old, they used to throw me in the cage with Islam
and Khabib and be like, ‘try to survive,’ and he wanted to see how
tough I am, how hard I can go with these guys, even though he knew
I could not compete at that time.”

Those rough training days at a young age provided not only learning
lessons as a fighter but also a mentality that Alaqraa believes
puts him on a different level ahead of his PFL debut. This
mentality has led him to believe he’s the best fighter in the
Middle East, with his next fight offering the perfect proving
ground.

“Actually, that was the best thing he’s done to me,” Alaqraa said.
“I do believe right now I am in a different position. I’m in a
different level mentally, physically, and with the skills, I do
believe I’m one of the best in the world, in the future, and the
best in the Middle East, PFL MENA is going to prove that.”

Learning from one of the greatest fighters in MMA history in
Nurmagomedov, Alaqraa has seen the growth within himself. That
growth is something he has seen the former UFC champion pass down
to those after him, especially the mental training.

“I’ve been in this system since 2017, I found martial arts at AKA
when Khabib was a fighter. I believe Khabib took this mentality
from his coaches and his father, and passed it down to us, the new
generation. He pushed us mentally to get above the limit.”

Getting above the limit included grappling with no time limits and
being pushed at a young age inside the training room. The physical
draining was always going to be there, but Alaqraa credits the
focus of mentality and having his mind right as one of the most
important training aspects.

“I do believe this is good because going into the cage, I don’t
care how skilled you are, it’s all about mental. Mental game is
number one in this game, the stronger you are mentally, the closer
you are to the win.”

Having trained at a world-renowned gym since he was 17 years old,
Alaqraa does not spare a thought for what might have been if he had
not ended up at AKA. “AKA is my life, I don’t know who I would be
if I didn’t go to AKA,” he said” . I don’t see the person I could
be if I chose not to go to AKA. AKA changed Mohammed from a new guy
to a guy with ambition, with big goals to achieve.”

That confidence he’s been given through his coaches is what he has
seen within himself at a young age, and now, in just his sixth
professional fight, he plans to capitalize on his biggest
opportunity.

“This thing they [coaches] have been seeing in me, I’ve been seeing
it since I was 12, 13, 14, I used to be little guy, skinny guy, but
I wanted to be world champion.

I wanted to be something that people after years are going to
remember and right now, PFL MENA is the dream. This is my goal,
this is what I want to do. On social media, I always say I’m the
best in the Middle East, but right now I’m going to prove to
everyone I’m the best in the Middle East and everyone is going to
see that.”

Despite all the confidence he has, Alaqraa is not overlooking the
undefeated Ouabbas. “I do respect my opponent. One time my coach
told me ‘Never take any fight easy. Every fight take it as this is
your last fight.’ so I do take my opponent seriously. Right now I’m
training harder because I’m the guy who should win this fight,
you’re going to have fun watching me, I promise you that.”

Entering PFL MENA, Alaqraa sees the talent pool that Professional
Fighters League has amassed and understands what it would mean for
him to emerge as the top fighter in his weight class. “It shows I’m
the best in the Middle East,” he said. “This bracket of fighters, I
do believe they’re the best in the Middle East. When you win
against these guys, you’re going to earn your respect, earn your
name, and earn your glory you get after that. PFL has highlighted
us and given us the platform, given us the opportunity to
shine.”

In order to show that he’s the best, he plans to unlock the new
version of himself, and after two consecutive decision victories,
he’s planning for a finish. “I’m going to finish him, I’m going to
find the finish. I don’t regret them but my last two fights were
decisions but I learned a lot from them. I’m going with ‘Mo 2.0’
I’m going for the finish.

There has been plenty of praise sent the way of Mohammad
Alaqraa and with all eyes on him entering his PFL debut, he
plans to put on for the Middle East, for his team, and to cement
himself as one of the best.